I would love to post every single time I finish a book… but that is just not going to happen. For one reason or another I just can’t do it. Hell, I can’t post once a month. Maybe it isn’t “can’t…” I don’t know. Not a clue. Either way… you’re reading this post for some reason, and me? I am posting this out of some off sense of obligation. Without further ado, here is what I’ve read since January 1, 2013, (spoilers might be involved):

1-15-13: Blood Noir, Laurell K. Hamilton, 3/5, “Sometimes it’s not the light in a person you fall in love with, but the dark. Sometimes it’s not the optimist you need, but another pessimist to walk beside you and know, absolutely know, that the sound in the dark is a monster, and it really is as bad as you think. “

1-31-13: Skin Trade, Laurell K. Hamilton, 4/5, “I’m a Christian, but if God is truly a God of love, then why would he have a private torture chamber where he put people that he was suppose to love and forgive to punish forever? If you actually read the Bible, the idea of hell like in the movies and most books was invented by a writer. Dante’s Inferno was ripped off by the Church to give people something to ba afraid of…”

2-14-13: Flirt, Laurell K. Hamilton, 3/5, “I put power into the words, all the power I had, and willed it to work.” (149)

2-19-13: Bullet, Laurell K. Hamilton, 3/5, “I’d more likely be staring into a pair of my own dark brown, and I can see that everytime I look in a mirror. I’m not fond enough of my own eyes to want to see them in someone else’s face.” (356)

2-24-13: Lost in Time, Melissa de la Cruz, 4/5, “The battle was finished.” (328)

3-12-13: Hit List, Laurell K. Hamilton, 5/5, “‘Tell that to the BTK killer,’ I said. ‘He was a churchgoer, raised two kids, married, and resisted the urge to kill for decades. He was a person, but he was a monster, too.'”

3-21-13: Kiss the Dead, Laurell K. Hamilton, 4/5, “I’m beginning to try and wrap my head around the thought that no one gets to hurt the people I love, not even another man that I love.” (359)

3-26-13: Cleopatra’s Daughter, Michelle Moran, 4/5, “He brushed his lips against my ear. ‘A brave young woman who has always fought for what was right, even when it was unpopular. A woman who can’t return to the land of her birth, but is welcome to cross the seas and rebuild Alexandria in mine. And a woman who has suffered enough in Rome and deserves happiness for a change. Will you come to Mauretania and be my queen?'”

4-8-13: Wild Mind: Living the Writer’s Life, Natalie Goldberg, 4/5, “Writing practice brings us back to the uniqueness of our own minds and an acceptance of it. We all have wild dreams, fantasies, and ordinary thoughts. Let us to feel the texture of them and not be afraid of them.Writing is still the wildest thing I know.”

4-9-13: The King’s Concubine: A Novel of Alice Perrers, Anne O’Brien, 4/5, “‘It is important for a woman to have the duplicity to make good use of whatever gifts she might have, however valueless they might seem… You have to have the inner strength to pursue your goal, and not care how many enemies you make along the road. It is not easy.'”

4-16-13: The Last Nude, Ellis Avery, 4/5, “She looked up at me then as if I were a dream she was having, and that’s when I thought it: I can do whatever I want to her.” (287)

4-18-13: Wintergirls, Laurie Halse Anderson, 5/5, “She wipes a snowflake off my cheek. ‘You’re not dead, but you’re not alive either. You’re a wintergirl, Lia-Lia, caught in between the worlds. You’re a ghost with a beating heart. Soon you’ll cross the border and be with me. I’m so stoked. I miss you wicked.'” (196)

4-25-13: Daddy Love, Joyce Carol Oates, 3/5, “Of every one hundred children perhaps one interested Daddy Love in the depths of his soul. Of every two hundred children perhaps one excited him.” (53)

5-2-13: The Vanishers, Heidi Julavits, 3/5, “Blame is the cord you can never sever, the viscous umbilical you can swipe at with you hands, but there it will be always ghostily hover, connecting you to monsters exactly as pitiful and needy and flawed as yourself.” (278)

5-23-13: Gone Girl, Gillian Flynn, 5/5, “Each clue was hidden in a spot where I’d cheated on Amy. She’d used the treasure hunt to take me on a tour of all my infidelities.” (226)

5-26-13: Frost Burned, Patricia Briggs, 4/5, “I was going to have to come up with a rank for myself besides Alpha’s mate. In the pack, I was just Mercy- but if ten more people called me the Alpha’s mate, I was going to hit someone. It sounded like a chess move.” (316)

I love Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake series. Damn near addictive. Michelle Moran is truly fantastic! The authors that I keep returning to… they know their stuff. Wintergirls broke my heart. The quotes at the end are my favorite lines–just fyi.

Daddy Love and Wintergirls… they were difficult to read. That is probably the point, but after reading them, I felt angry. And I’m not going to lie… a part of me still isn’t over it.

In other news, I feel like a majority of 2011’s Reading List is going to be… cancelled? Yes, cancelled. I’m just not into the titles now like I was when I first found them. That being said, I am finished with 2010’s Reading List–even God is Not One by Stephen R. Prothero. I’ve been reading it since January–it is fairly intensive on some portions, so I decided to take it slow.

So, it is the end of May… and this entry has been five months in the making. Here’s to attempting another entry similar to this in June. Or maybe we’ll all wait until December…

I think I am possibly the least consistent blogger on here. I think I will try to be better about that next year. It occurred to me earlier that I haven’t posted a book review since June of 2011. 😦

That being said, here is a rewind back to 2011 for any books I’ve read. Keep in mind, (Date, Title, Author, Rating):

6-13-11: The Laughing Corpse, Laurell K. Hamilton, 5/5

6-16-11: Circus of the Damned, Laurell K. Hamilton, 5/5

7-24-11: The Lunatic Cafe, Laurell K. Hamilton, 5/5

7-24-11: Bloody Bones, Laurell K. Hamilton, 5/5

7-25-11: The Killing Dance, Laurell K. Hamilton, 4/5

Then school began and I had a change of reading material:

Sept. 2011: The Feminine Mystique, Betty Friedan, 4/5

Oct. 2011: Eleanor of Aquitaine: A Life, Alison Weir, 5/5

Oct. 2011: The Collected Poems, Sylvia Plath, 3/5

Winter break came and I didn’t read at all. At all. So sad. But I wrote and wrote like a mad person due to my senior thesis. Anyway…

2-15-12: Morrigan’s Cross, Nora Roberts, 3/5

Apr. 2012: Burnt Offerings, Laurell K. Hamilton, 4/5

And then I graduated. I’ve been reading like crazy to make up for lost time (except for the occasional gap where I was busy with one thing or another):

5-20-12: Dance of the Gods, Nora Roberts, 3/5

5-24-12: Valley of Silence, Nora Roberts, 3/5

5-28-12: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Stieg Larsson, 5/5

Jul. 2012: The Diary of a Young Girl, Anne Frank, 4/5

8-31-12: Blue Moon, Laurell K. Hamilton, 4/5

9-8-12: Obsidian Butterfly, Laurell K. Hamilton, 4/5

9-14-12: Narcissus in Chains, Laurell K. Hamilton, 3/5

9-18-12: Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution, Michelle Moran, 4/5

9-22-12: Water for Elephants, Sara Gruen, 3/5

9-24-12: Dead Until Dark, Charlaine Harris, 3/5

10-2-12: Cerulean Sins, Laurell K. Hamilton, 4/5

10-15-12: Incubus Dreams, Laurell K. Hamilton, 3/5

10-17-12: Micah, Laurell K. Hamilton, 2/5

10-18-12: Danse Macabre, Laurell K. Hamilton, 3/5

11-17-12: The Harlequin, Laurell K. Hamilton, 4/5

11-22-12: Fifty Shades of Grey, E.L. James, 3/5

11-24-12: Fifty Shades Darker, E.L. James, 3/5

11-25-12: Fifty Shades Freed, E.L. James, 3/5

12-25-12: The Girl Who Played with Fire, Stieg Larsson, 5/5

12-31-12: The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest, Stieg Larsson, 5/5
(the final five chapters were AMAZING.)

I know there aren’t explanations and the usual chit-chat, but I thought I would share anyways. Oh! And some of the dates are spelled out or just in number formation–that’s because I didn’t write down when I finished it. 😦

On a side note, I’ve been keeping track of what I read by going into Goodreads. It is really helpful and I’ve been able to document almost every book I’ve read since I was 9-years-old. In any case, perhaps you’re wondering if there’s a list for 2013–the answer is yes & no. I want to finish the lists from 2010 and 2011, but there aren’t any news lists–just perhaps some new books. Catch ya later–

I thought I might let you in on what has been going on with my 2010 Reading List and a little bit about me… just a little bit. Here goes…

I have removed a certain number of the titles I had on the list. For a couple of reasons I might add–this way nobody can spit thorns in my direction. There were just too many titles to get through. It was a wonderful thought–read over 150 books in a year or less. Granted, I am still reading most of them–I just took away about 50 titles, maybe a couple more. I had too much of a topic that I love reading about in small doses, namely European royalty. Also, I started reading Nefertiti, but I have to return it–have to read other books, so I’ll be returning to Egypt one day. 🙂 In any case, that is what’s going on there.

New news with me–I am in the process of making a 2011 Reading List. It is very short and reasonable. The books for 2011 seem to have a theme so that should be fun to play with and see where it takes me. I would like it if I could finish it by the end of 2011, that is how short it is. I am giving my 2010 list a little over a year to be done, however, starting Summer 2011, I’ll probably be mixing up the lists just a bit. I will release the 2011 list in the new year. However, I suppose if you want a sneak peek, you could always ask–ya know? 😉

My original list can be found here, 2010 Reading List. My revised list goes as follows:

Anything that is crossed out, I have finished reading and reviewed by October 19, 2010.
** Indicates that it is currently on hold and what is to come within the next month

SinglesIsland Beneath the Sea by Isabel Allende
Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok
God Is Not One: The Eight Rival Religions That Run the World and Why Their Differences Matter by Stephen R. Prothero
The Bride Collector by Ted Dekker
The Hand that First Held Mine by Maggie O’FarrellImperfect Birds by Anne Lamott
Angelology by Danielle Trussoni
Nefertiti by Michelle MoranThe Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran
Cleopatra’s Daughter by Michelle Moran
Madame Tussaud by Michelle Moran

What I would not give for this entry to be a book review. Do you realize how many books I have in my possession–not including the huge pile that is an avalanche all on its own? School has taken up so much of my time and to be honest–I long for summer once again when I can go to work and come home and read. I’ve taken up knitting–it is so calming. I’ve completed two hats and can’t wait to begin making scarves.

My reason for writing this entry which has nothing to do with what I would truly love to be doing right now? I could not leave this untouched for another day. I became so accustomed to reading non-stop, writing a blog, and then starting up again. So, to those who read and those who comment: I appreciate your comments and discussion… and your patience. I will one day soon get another book review up. However, this is not even half of what I am up against:

ENG 203–Introduction to Drama.
We aren’t reading books so much as we are reading plays like “Oedipus Rex”, “Everyman”, “Lysistrata”, etc. The Greeks really knew how to stress SEX without saying it. Okay, that’s a lie. At one point in “Lysistrata”, the women declare they will not be “lifting their slippers to the ceiling” or “go on all fours.” Oh joy. I am currently writing a paper about King Oedipus and Oedipus complex–riveting, wouldn’t you say?

ENG 312–Literary Criticism.
Mostly collected works by Elizabeth Bishop and a custom-made course reader thanks to the Professor. Apparently, my views are incredibly Marxist and reader based. I guess I can agree if it means that I firmly believe how you interpret literature is based on your social location and experiences. No matter, recently read a short story called “The Burning House” by Anne Beattie–amazing. Read it. I could pick apart that story all day.

ENG 326–American Immigrant Experience.Yep, you guessed it. It is a co-taught class for History and English. The professors banter back and forth–funny as hell. We read historical accounts, participate in lectures, and discuss what we are reading. Six or seven novels and a zillion articles. To be quite honest, the topic of immigration tends to be a very touchy topic. I do not understand why. We are a nation of immigrants. On another note, you could say I am a bit of a feminist. So, despite the fact that I’ve learned to respect various cultures, I became very sad when we had to read a short story about a young Chinese couple who were to be driven apart thanks to being Americanized–which really is so true–we expect everyone to act “American.” Whatever that is–I do not really know anymore. And now that I have gone somewhere on a tangent, let us return.

HIS 211–History of Latin American Civilizations.
The professor, my roommate and I have decided, looks exceedingly like a young Michael Caine. We are reading two books in that class and the sections are so ungodly long. The class lectures are fascinating and it is quite obvious the professor is passionate about the subject: Maya, Aztecs, Incas, etc., but this English major and History minor loves to read–just not texts that are so dense that you could put a knife through it.

SPN 101–Introduction to Spanish.Hola! Me gusta mucho! I had taken three years in middle school and high school. However, upon being called stupid and lazy, I backed away from the language that I was so close to being fluent in and slowly but surely, it became dormant. Until now. I am staying up late and having fantastic conversations with one of my roommates, Amanda, and the second best part about having these conversations: they are completely in Spanish! Hell yes!

~~

As much as I love school, (if I could be paid to go to school for the rest of my life, I probably would because I love to learn) I would love to get in a car with my travel buddy, Amanda, take some good music, a couple dozen books, my laptop, and plenty of money for gas and food, and just drive without a damn map. Get lost and just be at peace with a good book in my hands. Flip a coin and go. Escape into the novels that have become (almost) like home. Call me crazy, but I love talking to the characters and sharing in their adventures–but I guess I have to come back to reality sometime. Quite honestly, I do not enjoy reality right now and a great big bubble of positive something would do me some good. By next week, I fully intend on having SOMETHING up…this two-week business is not okay with me.

To end on a positive note–I am thoroughly excited for my Fall TV shows and supposedly, they are making a show or a movie out of the Vampire Academy series. They will not be able to do Dimitri Belikov justice. haha

Books in my possession that I have not started yet: Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs, Nefertiti by Michelle Moran, The Killing Game by Iris Johansen, and maybe three or four other books that are coming in. Oh to be able to write another entry. Until then…

“Every day will be like this, I thought. Every morning for the rest of my life I will be treated as the Heretic’s niece. If I don’t change their opinion of me, I will never escape it.” (169)

I finished this novel at 3 this morning. Let me just say–it is so, so nice to return to one of my first ancient history obsessions: Egypt. It has been a long time since I’ve read anything regarding Egypt–her history, her people. Due to my overload of Tudor related history, I was not sure I would even return to history based novels for a while. I’ve even had to temporarily remove certain novels until I have a Tudor history craving again. Egypt and England–two of my favorite kingdoms and constant loves–I just need a small break from one for a bit.

So, I guess this entry might be a small lesson based on what I remember of Egyptian history. To keep it honest, I’ll only write what I remember completely:

Nefertari is one of the queens I remember vividly next to Hatshepsut, Cleopatra, and Nefertiti. Nefertari is rumored to have been named in honor of Nefertiti, who came a couple of decades before her. She was married to Ramesses the Great–the pharaoh who fought with Moses. Historians do not know much about Nefertari’s beginnings, but it is believed she is related to Nefertiti, Tutankhamun, and Akhenaten. She gave Ramesses many children, none of which lived long enough to rule Egypt. Nefertari is known for being the greatest love of Ramesses (he wrote poetry and built temples dedicated to her) and her importance in political matters. In regards to their love match, he wrote on her burial chamber wall: “My love is unique and none can rival her… Just by passing, she has stolen away my heart.” (374) The romantic in me goes, “Awww!!”

Obviously, historical fiction writers take liberties with information that is fuzzy or not completely known. Michelle Moran makes it work where other authors might lack. There is a believability to her writing. I love the character development–and especially enjoyed Nefertari’s plan to leave the court so Ramesses will miss her. One of the oldest games in the book–absence makes the heart grow fonder.

I really liked all the conflicts and sub-plots–they really made the story stand out from other novels I’ve read. Moran states that she does place information for the holes in history, so certain things might not fit. However, the story flows without hitch. Oh! And I soo envied Moran’s descriptions of Nerfertari’s makeup regimen–perhaps not the entire process–but the styles and colors. And the Nubian wigs–Ahh!!

The Heretic Queen was such an amazing read. Thanks to school it took a tad longer to finish the novel–but it is indeed finished. I will definitely be reading this particular novel again. I look forward to reading Moran’s Nefertiti and Cleopatra’s Daughter. I give Michelle Moran’s The Heretic Queen a 4.5 out of 5.